I was born & raised in Kenya, attending Rift Valley Academy. I went on to University in the U.S. and got my Bachelor's degree in Biology. I spent one summer in the Algarve of Portugal as a volunteer for A Rocha. In 1998 I completed my Master's degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Tulsa, writing my thesis on the Costs & Benefits of Coloniality in Purple Martins. In January 1999 I became the first A Rocha Kenya volunteer & carried out a Population Survey of Amani Sunbird in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. From 2000 - 2002 I worked at Turtle Bay Beach Club, promoting birdwatching & eco-tourism. I then moved back to the U.S. and went into teaching. I have taught various sciences since 2002 both at the high school & college level. In 2005 my wife and I moved to Kijabe and I continue to enjoy teaching, birdwatching, and running. For the last few years I have been assisting the Kijabe Forest Trust (KFT) with Biodiversity Management in my spare time.